Courses and Coaching and Gadgets, Oh My!

Welcome to another edition of what was the Eyes-Free Academy blog, now the Mind’s-Eye View (MEV) blog. We are pleased to report that things have been zooming along quite nicely around here, especially in regard to “tech issues”.

This has left us free to get on with not only our Course Builders Laboratory course from Mirasee, but also another of their courses called “The Art of Offer Craft”. It’s all about effective communication with clients, aimed at finding out what they really want, so that we can provide a product that will be of high value when it comes to teaching what they want to learn. It’s hard to communicate just how effective these Mirasee courses really are, other than to say that we’re feeling much more stimulated these days, and we’re always busy doing something.

In addition to updating all of our contact and mailing lists, we have had several conversations with our new web developer, so that many processes are being set up, and aligned in preparation for communicating more widely for the pilot phase of course launch and beyond. The more work we do, the more there seems to be. But nowadays, we’re definitely feeling much more motivated to get on with it.

Our First Zoom Coaching

Not long ago, we got a request on Facebook from a friend who was confused about going live on Facebook. So I thought this would be a perfect opportunity for some coaching practice. We’re in Victoria, BC and my guinea pig was way back east in Kitchener, Ontario. The lesson went well, and the objective was achieved. And since we actually went live in the process, we actually acquired an “audience” and some amusing comments like “Why is your camera pointing at the ceiling?” Well, I just got focused on the coaching and put the phone down on the desk. Whoops! So let’s hear it for “imperfect action” and the learning experience it provided. And our friend can now go live on FB!

We are especially excited about coaching because we have received info from several industry experts who say that coaching is becoming a top trend in 2018. I guess that’s why the popularity of platforms like Zoom are growing so quickly.

YouTube Channel Features Gadgets That Help with iHabilitation

Yes, our Youtube channel has gotten a bit more content, which will also give us more blog content moving forward. Plus, we’re soon going to be blogging about everything we share each week during The iHabilitation Man’s visit to Kelly and Company.

Aside from short demos that provide a clearer idea of just how Eyes-Free access can be achieved, we feature apps and gadgets that can increase one’s level of independence.

WayAround tags

The WayAround tagging system is definitely a good example. There are tags everything around your home – clothing, office items, kitchen stuff, personal care products, etc. Each WayAround tag has a RFID (Radio Frequency ID) that takes advantage of the NFC (Near Field Communication) built into iPhone 7 and higher. A Bluetooth scanner is available for earlier iPhone models. A lot of information can be written to each tag and retrieved selectively in the future. Have a look: tinyurl.com/ihabilitationcanadavideos.

o6 Remote

This remote is a very innovative device for folks who have difficulty with the gestures required to operate an iPhone touch screen. When installed with Voiceover running, the o6 automatically goes into a mode designed to work in conjunction with Voiceover. One need only turn the wheel clockwise and counter-clockwise to move back and forth through screen elements and press the center button or ring button with various numbers of clicks and lengths of hold time to carry out functions. Many Voiceover functions are supported and more will be added, as this is only the first release. This will be a useful device for many people. Have a look: tinyurl.com/ihabilitationcanadavideos.

Conclusion

That’s about it for this edition. It’s great to have a definite feeling of things moving forward. We’re off to Montreal in mid-April for three days of sessions with our mentors of course creation. Then, a week later, we’re in Vancouver to meet with the folks at Thinkific our Learning Management System platform. And the day after that, a presentation at the AEBC (Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians) conference to talk about everything from increasing iPhone proficiency to apps that help with personal productivity, to accessing resources used by today’s online entrepreneurs.

Could it be that this approach is more viable for people with disabilities than the more traditional job search route? Stay tuned and see what we discover as we go along.